Grate



June 6, 1933. J. 5. THOMPSON GRATE Filed Oct. 4, 1950 ATTORN EY- PatentedJune 6, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ice JAMESS. THOMPSON, ft NEVI ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOE TOFIREBAR CORPO- RATION, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, .A' CORPORATION OF DEIIAWARE Application filed October 4,

This. invention relates to grate bars of the i type used in locomotives and boiler furnaces,

andfor other heavy duty purposes. More specifically, the. invention is concerned with a novel grate bar of the rocking type which includes acarrier orsupporting member providedwith trunnions and a plurality of fuelsupporting units or cross bars which are mounted on thecarrier and may be removed 1 therefrom andreplaced should occasion require; While the grate bar of the present 1nvention is of general utility, it is particularly suited for locomotive use and a form of the bar especially adapted for that purpose Wlll 15. be described in detail, though it is to be understood that its utility is not so limited.

. Locomotives are commonly provided with grate bars of a design which has not varied to any substantial extent for many years.

. These grate bars are of large size and cast in one piece of iron. They frequently weigh as much as 200'lbs. and each bar must be made, installed, and otherwise handled as a unlt. These bars are provided with a multiplicity 25. ofopenings for the passage of air to the fuel and ordinarily the openings are of large size and at a relatively wide spacing.

In such bars, the fuel bed lies in contact with a substantial amount of solid surface by reason of the relatively wide spacing of the openings, andfas a consequence, the bar is likely to become highly heated and frequently burns out so that replacement is required. WVhenever a portion of the bar is damaged in use, the entire bar must be discardedand such a replacementrepresents a substantial loss of metal. Also, the replacementis a laborious operation which consumes a considerable amount of time, during which the .40 locomotive must be idle so that-thecharges for labor and for loss of locomotive service are extremely costly. When such a bar has to be replaced, the fire must be dumped, the aslrpanremoved, the shakervarm of, the in- =4 jured bardisconnected from the main shaker.

1930. Serial Nd. 486,348.

rod, the bar removed through the fire door, another bar placed in positionand connected to the shaker mechanism, and the ash pan restored to position.

The present invention is directed to the provision .of a grate bar in which those parts of the bar which come into contact with the fuel bed are readily removable'and replace-I able with a smallcharge for labor and material and with only a small loss of locomotiveservicetime. The new gratebar includes a carrier member having a cross-section somewhat the shape of a rail in the respect that it includes a web, anupstanding flange, andan enlarged head; At the ends of the carrier are arms provided with trunnions and the enlargedheadlon the flange extends close tobut does not jointhese arms. Each fuel-supporting unit includes a plate which is provided with a recess having an open mouth, the width of whichis less than the overallwidth of the head, These units are'adapted to rest on the carrier and prefer-. ably on the web ateitherzside of theflange and straddling .the flange and head. The units may be placed in position on the carrier by beingslipped over the flange at a point near a trunnion arminthe space between the end ofthe head and the arm and once the units are in position on the carrier, they are 75 prevented from being accidentally dislodged therefrom because they cannot slip over the head. The construction of the units and the carrier is such that the units and carrier are permitted a limited freedom of relative angular movement about an axis lengthwise of. the carrier and this'construction affords certain advantages presently to be set forth.

F or a better understanding of the inven- 8 tion, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. lis a sectional view throughthe carrier showing one unit in side elevation;

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views through .96

the unit on the lines .2--2 and 33 respectively, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view of the carrier in side elevation illustrating the manner of placing the large unit thereon;

Fig. 5 is a view of the carrier in side elevation showing a pair of units in position thereon; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a portion of the carrier showing a unit in position.

With reference to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, the grate bar includes a carrier or supporting member, which comprises a web 10 having upwardly inclined converging top walls 11 which merge in an upstanding flange 12 having an enlarged head 13. At either end, the carrier is provided with an upstanding arm 14 having a trunnion 15 and adjacent the arm the head is cut away as indicated at 164 The inner face of the arm 14 is undercut as -width of the head. The lower surface of the plate at either side of the opening to the recess is formed with supporting surfaces 19 which converge upwardly and when the unit is in position on the carrier, the surfaces '19 contact with the sloping walls 11 at the top of the web, the unit resting on the web and straddling the flange and its head but out of contact therewith.

The fuel-supporting unit may be formed with various top constructions, but I prefer to employ that illustrated in the co-pending application of Buckley Serial No. 338,352, filed February 8, 1929, now Patent No. 1,884,557, Oct. 25, 1922. Following the Buckley principle, the plate 17 of the unit is provided with a plurality of spaced lugs 20vwhich project from opposite-faces thereof, these lugs being of increasing size up- I wardly and defining air passages 21 between them which are of gradually decreasing size toward the top of the unit. Projecting upwardly from the plate are projections 22 separated by an air channel 23. Preferably the projections 22 are arrangedin groups of four, as illustrated in Fig. 6 with a pair of the projections of each group lying above a lug and the other pair of the group lying above the plate 17 adjacent the lug. The air channel 23 subdividing the group of pro jections is intersected by another air chan nel 24 so that air can flow on all four sides of each projection.

In mounting the units on the carrier, each unit is placed close to the trunnion arm, as illustrated in Fig. i and then moved downwardly at an angle to the vertical and in such fashion that it straddles the flange 12 at the point where the head of the flange is cut away. WVhen the unit has moved down to the point where it rests in part on top of the head adjacent the cut-out, the unit can he slid sidewise soas to straddle the head and in this position the unit cannot be lifted free of the carrier since the entrance to the recess is of less width than the head at the top of the flange. The units are placed on the carrier one after another and slid lengthwise of the carrier to proper position. Preferably the carrier is provided with a cut-out at each end so that the maximum distance that any unit must he slid along the carrier is approximately half the length thereof.

By undercutting the inner face of each trunnion arm as at 14', the end of the head 13 on the carrier may lie so close to the arm that when the end unit is in place on the carrier and in contact with the arm, the locking parts of the unit fully underlie the head and effect a complete locking of the unit to the carrier. There is sufficient playin the group of units on the carrier to permit them to be crowded together sufliciently to allow the end unit to be tilted to the extent necessary to remove it. Normally the units spread apart slightly with the end unit prevented by the unit next to it from tilting to the extent necessary to permit accidental disengagement from the carrier. The units are kept from too close spacing on the carrier by the spacing lugs 25 projecting from certain of the lugs 20.

It will be seen that with this construction the point at which. unlocking takes place lies outside and beyond that part or zone of the carrier'in which the units are supported and with this arrangement, accidental dislodgement of the units is prevented, although there is no difficulty in effecting removal of the units when it is necessary to do so.

It will be evident that should a unit of the new bar become injured, only that unit requires replacement and this represents a loss of metal of 9 or 10 pounds whereas when a grate bar of the previous form had to be discarded because of injury to a small part thereof, the metal scrapped might amount to 200 pounds. The reduction in replacement cost resulting from adoption of the new bar will, therefore, be obvious.

Also, when replacement of a unit of the new bar is necessary, this operation merely involves dumping the fire and removal of those units which lie between the unit to be replaced and the end of the carrier. The ash pan of the locomotive need not be touched nor need the shaker arm 27 of the carrier be disconnected. As the units are individually of lightweight, they can be handled easily and without effort and the entire bar can be cleared of units and a new set installed with-.

in afew minutes. Replacement of the entire group of units on a bar at one tnne has never been required in commercial practice, and

p the likelihood is that if replacement is necessary, it will involve only one or two units and only a few of the units on the bar will have to be removed; i

As previously stated the units are so formed thatwhen in place on the carrier, they arefree to move angularly relative to the.

carrier to a limited extent due to the units straddling the flange and"headwithoutcontacting therewith. When the new grate bar is used in the locomotive field, the'units are free to moverelative to the carrier under the shocks and jars incident to road travel and these movements g ve the grate bar a selfshaking and'cleaning action which has been found to be highly advantageous, since the bars require little shaking onthe part of the fireman to maintain the fire clean.

Theangular movement between the carrier and unitspermittedby the construction described serves another useful purpose. With the ordinary bar, the least movement of the shaker arm; bythe fireman results in a movement of each of the grate bars in a grate and consequently in shaking, the initial. movement of the bars involves disrupting the entire fuel bed. Where a heavy. bed of fuel is carried as in ordinary practice, the difiiculty of shaking the grate bars is such that power grate shaking devices have been commonly employed. With the present grate 5 bar, the loose fit between the units and the carrier permits the fireman to rock the carriersthrough a limited are before any movement of the units occurs. Consequently the fireman may give the shaker handle and all of the carriers throughout the grate a quick initial movement which gives these parts a considerable momentum withthe result that when the carriers and the units thereon become locked together, the carriers give the units asharp blow which assists in breaking up the fuel bed and facilitatesshaking. The grate of the present construction can accordingly be easily shaken by a fireman without power shaking devices and in locomotive service, the self-cleaning action of the bars as above described, reduces labor to a minimum.

surfaces Since the units rest on inclined surfaces on top of the web, the units have a self-centercarrier lying within but normally out of con tact with the walls of an opening in each unit defined in part by said parts of said unit, said openingbeing substantially symmetrical with respect to the transverse median plane of said unit. i i a 2. A grate bar which comprises the combination of a carrier, and a plurality of fuelsupporting units supported thereon, the car rier and unitshaving interengaging parts preventing accidental displacement of' the units from the carrier, said parts being dis posed above those portions of the carrier on which the units rest and permitting limited relative angular movement of the carrier and units about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the carrier, said parts on the carrier lying within but normally out of contact with the walls of an opening in each unit substantiallysymmetrical with respect to the transverse median plane of said unit, and defined in part by said parts of the unit.

3. A grate bar which comprises the combination of a carrier having a supporting portion, a plurality of fuel-supporting units mounted on the carrier and resting on the supporting portion, and co-operating parts on the carrier and each unit for preventing accidental displacement of the unit from the carrier, said cooperating parts lying above the support on the carrier when the units are assembled thereon said parts on the carrier entering but not normally contacting with the walls of a recess in the unit substantially symmetrical with respect to the transverse median plane of said unit, said recess being defined in part by said parts on the unit which are disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to said plane.

4-. .A grate bar which comprises the combination of a carrier having a supporting portion and a relatively narrow portion above the supporting portion and a widerportion above said narrow portion, a. plurality of fuel-supporting units on said carrier resting on said support and each having an opening in which said narrow and wider portions are received, each unit having parts in part defining said opening and underlying said wid. er portion of the carrier on opposite sides thereof, the cooperation of said parts and portion preventing accidental displacement of the units from the carrier, and said parts and portion normally lying wholly out of contact with each other and thereby permitting said units and carrier to have alimited relative angular movement about the longitudinal axis of said carrier. i

5. A grate bar which comprises thecombination ofa carrier having a supporting portion and a relatively narrow portion above the supporting portion and a wider portion above said narrow portion, and a plurality of fuel-supporting units on said carrier restlngon said supportlng portlon, each unit having a recess in which said narrow and wider portions are received and opposed lugs delining a part of said recess and spaced a distance less than the overall width of said wider portion of the carrier, said lugs underlying said wider portion and cooperating therewith to prevent accidental displacement of the unit from the carrier.

6. A grate bar which comprises the combination of a carrier having a supporting portion and a relatively narrow portion above the supporting portion and a wider portion above said narrow portion, and a plurality of fuel-supporting units on said carrier resting on said supportingportion, each unit having a recess in which said narrow and wider portions are received and opposed lugs defining a part of said'recess and spaced a distance less than the overall width of said wider portion of the carrier, said lugs underlying said wider portion and cooperating therewith to prevent accidental displacement of the unit from the carrier, and said wider portion of the carrier having cut-outs formed therein to permit passage of said lugs of a unit.

7. A grate bar which comprises the combinationof a carrier having a supporting portion and a relatively narrow portion above the supporting portion and a wider portion above said narrow portion,and a plurality of fuel-supporting units on said carrier resting on said supporting portion, each unit having a recess in which said narrow and wider portions are received and opposed lugs defining a part of said recess and spaced a distance less than the overall width of said wider portion of the carrier, said lugs underlying said Wider portion and cooperating therewith to prevent accidental displacement of the unit from the carrier, and said wider portion having a cut-out formed at at least one end thereof to permit 'passage of said lugs of a unit.

8. A grate bar which comprises a carrier having arms at its ends provided with trunnions, said carrier being formed with a sup porting portion, a relatively narrow portion above the sup-porting portion and a wider portion above the narrow portion, and a plurality of fuel-supporting units on the carrier resting on the supporting portion and straddling the narrow and wider portions of the carrier, each unit having part: on opposite sides of said portions of the carrier spaced apart a distance less than the overall Width of said wider portion of said carrier and underlying said portion, said parts and portion preventing accidental displacement of the unit from the carrier.

9. A grate bar which comprises a carrier having arms at its ends provided with trunnions, said carrier being formed with supporting portion, a relatively narrow portion above the supporting portion and a wider portion above the narrow portion, and a plu-- rality of fuel-supporting units on the carrier resting on the supporting portion and straddling the narrow and wider portions of the carrier, each unit having parts underlying saidwider portion of said carrier, said parts and portion preventing accidental displacement of the unit from the carrier.

10. A grate bar which comprises a carrier having arms at its ends provided with trunnions, said carrier being formed with a supporting portion, a relatively narrow portion above the supporting portion and a widerportion above the narrow portion, and a plurality of fuel-supporting units on the carrier resting on the supporting portion and straddling the narrow and wider portions of the carrier, each unit having parts underlying said wider portion of the carrier and cooperating therewith to prevent accidental displacement of the unit from the carrier, and said wider portion having a cut-out permitting passage of said parts for removal of said units ll. A grate bar which comprises a carrier having arms at its ends provided with trunnions, said carrier being formed with a supporting portion, a relatively narrow portion above the Sll'JpOltlDg portion and a wider portion above the narrow portion, and a plurality of fuel-supporting units on the carrier resting on the supporting portion and straddling the narrow and wider portions of the carrier, each unit having parts undere lying said wider portion of the carrier and coooperating therewith to prevent accidental displacement ofthe unit from tile carrier, and said wider portion having cut-outs permitting passage of said parts for removal of said unit, said cut-outs being disposed adjacent said carrier arms. I

12. A grate bar which comprises a carrier having arms at its ends provided with trunnions, said carrier being formed with a supporting portion, a relatively narrow portion above the supporting portion and a wider portion above the narrow portion, and a plurality ,ot' fuel-supporting units on the carrier resting on the supporting portion and straddling the narrow and wider portions of the carrier, each unit having parts underlying said wider portion of the carrier and cooperating therewith to prevent accidental displacei'nent of the unit from the carrier, and said wider portion having cut-outs at its ends for passage of said parts of the units to permit removal thereof, said cut-outs lying adjacent said trunnion arms.

13. A grate bar which comprises a carrier including a web, a flange extending up from said web and symmetricalwith respect to the longitudinal medianplane of said carrier and an enlargement along the free edge of said flange, and a plurality of fuel-supporting units on said carrier resting on said Web and movement about an axis a carrying trunnions,

straddling said flange, each unit having parts I underlying said enlargement to prevent accidental displacement of said unit from the carrier.

14. A grate bar which comprises a carrier including a web, a flange extending up from said Web and symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal median plane of said carrier and an enlargement along the free edge of said flange, and a plurality of fuel-supporting units on said carrier resting on said Web and straddling said flange, each unit having parts underlying said enlargement to prevent accidental displacement of said unit from the carrier, and said units and carrier having a limited freedom of relative angular parallel to the longitudinal axis ofthe carrier.

15. A grate bar which comprises a carrier including a web, a flange extending up from said web and symmetrical With respect to the longitudinal median plane of said carrier and an enlargement along the free edge of said flange, and a a plurality of fuel-supporting units on said carrier resting on said web and straddling said flange, each unit having parts underlying said enlargement to prevent accidental displacement of said unit from the carrier, and said enlargement terminating shortof the end of the flange to permit said parts to passby said enlargement during removal and replacement of said units. 16 A grate bar which comprises a carrier including a web terminating inupright arms carrying trunnions, a flange extending up from said web andfrom one arm to the other, and an enlargementat the free edge of the flange, said enlargement terminating short of one of said arms to leave a passage, and a plurality of fuel-supporting units on the carrier straddling said flange and having parts underlying said enlargement, said parts being capable of being moved through said passage to permit removal said units.

17. A grate bar which comprises a carrier including a web terminating in uprightarms a flange extending u and an enlargement at the free edge of the flange, said enlargement terminating short of one of said arms to leave a passage, and a plurality of fuel-supporting units on the carrier resting on said Web and straddling said flange, each unit having parts underlying said enlargement, said parts being capable of being moved through said passage to permit removal and replacement of said units.

18 In a grate bar, a fuel-supporting unit havlng a fuel-supporting top and a reces formed 1n the opposite edge of said unit, said recess having a restricted opening and said unit having faces on the outer edge of said uniton opposite sides of said recess.

and replacement of a pair of'inclined supporting su'r- 19. A grate bar which comprises the combination of a carrier, and a plurality of fuels supporting units supported thereon, the carrier and units having co-operating parts locking the units to the carrier, said parts being disposed above that portion of the carrier 011 which the units rest, said parts on the carrier extending beyond that portion of the carrier on which the end unit in the series rests and being cut away beyond the zone of support for said unit to permit removal of said units consecutively.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. 

